EuroCheapo's Vienna Articles

2014 is on track to be an exciting year in Vienna for Cheapos with a host of exciting new developments and dependable annual traditions. From an unforgettable (and free!) summer evening concert at Schönbrunn Palace’s Gardens to a brand new 48-hour tourist card that offers an incredible value, it’s time to think about adding Vienna to »Read more

Cultured, classy and cosmopolitan, Vienna boasts of a history as distinguished as almost any other major European city: It has been an imperial capital, a home to some of the world’s great thinkers and a Mecca for classical music. Because of this illustrious past, prospective visitors might think that Austria’s largest city is too expensive »Read more

Nicknamed the “City of Music,” Vienna has a long history as one of the centers (at times, the center) of musical innovation in Europe. It has seen the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Strauss grace its streets and performance halls. And though that was centuries ago, if it sounds at all like Vienna is »Read more

Vienna boasts a long list of cultural attractions, but for many opera and ballet lovers coming to the city, it’s a performance (or three) at the Vienna’s State Opera (“Wiener Staatsoper”) that really makes the trip. Built in the 1860s in the Neo-Renaissance style, the building itself is a treat. It dominates the southern portion »Read more

Perhaps due to its lively student population, Vienna is rife with inexpensive eating options. In addition to the ubiquitous Döner Kebab, you’ll find cheap pizza, traditional Austrian food and more than a few vegetarian options. Our five cheap picks run the gamut from cozy pub grub to pay-what-you-wish Pakistani fare. 1. Esterházykeller Naglergasse 9 Neighborhood: »Read more

Cheapos do love a nice ride. That’s why we first brought you news of Vienna‘s awesome Citybike program two years ago. At the time, our correspondent Ellen Farkas said, “When it comes to bicycles, the Viennese fully support two-wheeled transport without any fuss. They take their bikes as far as they can, come rain or »Read more

Ah, Vienna – the city fills us with music. We can’t help it, but it also makes us think of The Sound of Music, even though that musical took place in another Christmas “markt” town, Salzburg. It also makes us think of the fancy Hapsburg family and some of the brightest Christmas lights in Europe. »Read more

Unfortunately for long-distance travelers, many of the delectable, tasty treats you’ll find in a Viennese coffee house don’t travel well. However there are some sweet exceptions: chocolates and candies. Not only do charming shops in Vienna sell a variety of bite-sized treats, but their affordable prices will hit the spot, too! Home sweeeeeet home Vienna’s »Read more

Ah, Vienna – land of sacher torte, carriage rides, and Mozart! The ringed city, we think, is best viewed on foot. While traditional tram rides provide a respite from hoofing it, if you want to experience the true Vienna, consider a themed walking tour. While tours through travel agencies could cost you anywhere from €10-20 »Read more

We’re always keen to dispel the myth that you must be rolling in it (money, that is) to enjoy world-class entertainment. Take the Viennese opera. This Austrian gem is well within the range of Cheapos. Here are our three best bets for landing a night at the Opera: Try ‘standing room only’ If you are »Read more

Neville Walker’s ode to Vienna in this past weekend’s Financial Times is gorgeous and plaintive. Writing about Vienna in the newspaper’s “What I Love About…” series, Walker compellingly nails Vienna’s eccentric character. Walker writes that Vienna was “once a cul-de-sac on the edge of the Eastern Bloc” now “learning to be hip and modern.” Yet »Read more

Karlsplatz in Vienna’s Fourth District, bordering the Inner District, is especially festive today through 8 p.m. What is being celebrated is Karlstag, which is basically a Karlsplatz openhouse. The visitors can storm the Secession and other museums in the vicinity and stay for longer hours. Best of all the entrance and tour guide are for »Read more

Vienna’s fascination with sports and healthy living has always been striking. There’s the city’s popular spring marathon, the women’s marathon, the children’s marathon, and a host of additional runs. Registration for the four-kilometer Erste Bank Vienna Night Run 2007 opened this month. The run will kick off at dusk on October 10 and will raise »Read more

One thing we like about summer in Vienna is open-air cinema. This month, we are looking forward to a myriad of events that will allow us to enjoy the flicks without shivering and munch on popcorn without freezing our hands. Mark the following events on your calendar. 1. Kino Unter Sternen (Cinema Under the Stars) »Read more

Would you dare spend your Friday evening inside the church? For the third time in Austria, Christian factions are inviting the public to stay for a night of free exhibitions, shows, fairs, and concerts. Lange Nacht der Kirchen, which takes places tonight, June 1, aims to lure the non-faithful back into the fold. This time, »Read more

Heat. Sand. Volleyball. Yes ladies and gentlemen, that’s in Vienna. On Friday, June 1, the lot of the Wiener Eislaufvereins in the Third District will transform into a trendy beach complete with sand, beach games, and parties mimicking the feeling of a vacation to the tropics. Because the Viennese love summer, the festivities will last »Read more

We can’t imagine an inefficient Viennese transportation system. Not only do buses, trains, and trams arrive and depart more or less at the expected time, passengers can also map out their itinerary using suggested routes and means of transport via Wiener Linien online. Recently, the government of Vienna announced that they will increase the prices »Read more

If Richard Linklater had filmed “Before Sunrise“—his tale of two strangers falling in love in a span of one day, with Vienna providing the setting—today, he could have found a much more enterprising First District that he did in the mid-1990s. Spending a day on Vienna’s touristy museum-hopping path, we were enthralled with the sights »Read more

Get ready for the Europa Konzert (Concert for Europe) on May 24, 2007. For the fourth time the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace will open up to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Valéry Gergiev, who is currently serving as the chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Everyone is invited and admission is free. Since its »Read more

In a manner of speaking, that is. Of course, we are talking about the famous terracotta figures of warriors and horses of the First Chinese Emperor Qin, the controversial ruler who was responsible for the unification of China. The reproductions of more than 150 lifesize statues and 1,000 soldiers in battle formation has been touring »Read more

How do the Viennese celebrate Labor Day, May 1st? Tens of thousands attend the Socialists’ annual May Day march where Michael Häupl (Vienna’s Socialist governor and mayor) and Alfred Gusenbauer (Austria’s Chancellor) will hold forth. Others will make short excursions to the Prater or other parks. Many others will stay at home or spend their »Read more

The inhabitants of Vienna appear to find the charms of Asia irresistible. The imported healthy lifestyle (yoga, Ayurveda, tai chi) and tasty food are key elements of Vienna’s love affair with Asia. No wonder Asian-styled restaurants keep on multiplying in the city. Vienna’s hip and trendy urbanites prefer Japanese cuisine with its sushi and tempura »Read more

Centuries ago, when Vienna was the center of music and the best composers felt compelled to come to town, prodigies and wannabes set their eyes on the city and dreamed that one day, they, too, would be celebrated in the Austrian capital—and later, around the world. Fast forwarded to today. Vienna’s days as the center »Read more

Bike Festival. The event is sponsored by Argus, a non-profit, non-partisan association of like-minded bike-crazed individuals aiming to promote the use of bicycles to ease traffic in the city and protect the environment. For anyone searching for cheaper bikes (or wanting to sell an old bike) the Bike Festival is there to help. This year’s »Read more

This year, St. Stephen’s Cathedral—or the Stephansdom—will celebrate its 860th birthday. Located in the First District, it is the absolute epicenter of the capital. And while Stephansdom is a tourist must-see, it’s also a place of real ongoing significance for the Viennese. As the Lenten season unfolds in Vienna, for example, the main focus of »Read more